Antenna towers have been in existence since the 1920s and '30s when AM radio emerged as a popular medium of communication. There several types of towers, including guyed lattice-type towers and monopoles. Monopole towers include a tubular mast. Monopole towers are generally unable to attain the same height as the guyed, lattice-type towers, but monopole towers require less land. In addition, the monopole towers are more aesthetically appealing and, therefore, clearance for erecting these towers is generally more easily attained from government bodies, such as cities and states. Monopoles are the tower of choice for antennas used in broad-ranging communication systems, such as cellular communications systems. Currently, the antennas are fixedly mounted on top of the towers. Typically, a plurality of antennas, some transmitting antennas and some receiving antennas, are mounted on a single monopole tower. Antennas are typically mounted to a nonremovable platform at the top of the monopole tower.
Other equipment may be mounted on the platform mounted to the monopole tower. For example, surveillance or security cameras may be mounted on monopole towers and the platform. Monopole towers vary in height. In some applications, a smaller monopole is erected near a building and surveillance or security cameras are mounted thereon. The surveillance or security cameras are then used to watch at least a portion of the building. The monopole tower can be remotely located from the building. In another application, fences can be monitored using surveillance or security cameras mounted on monopoles along a fence. In some instances, both communications antennas and security equipment are mounted to monopole towers. Of course other equipment may be mounted to the monopole as well.
The equipment mounted to a monopole must be solidly mounted. The wind loads on the monopole are generally rather large. The wind load increases on a monopole as more equipment is mounted on the pole. In addition, the equipment must be mounted to the monopole so that the equipment does not shift. Generally, surveillance or security cameras can be moved using a motor or series of motors attached to a camera. Many types of antennas must be precisely positioned and stable, to either receive signals from or to transmit signals to, another point. If the antenna is slightly out of alignment, performance may suffer or the antenna may not even fulfill its function.
Periodically, equipment mounted on the monopole requires maintenance or repair. Currently, since the equipment is mounted to the top of the monopole, service technicians need to climb or use an expensive cherry-picker/man lift in order to reach the equipment to perform the necessary repair or maintenance. In many instances, a cherry-picker/man lift is rented. This is expensive, inconvenient and time consuming. Furthermore, since some monopoles may be in remote areas, it may be difficult to get cherry picker/man lifts to the site that needs service. There is also a safety concern when workers are climbing and/or performing tasks when perched far above the ground.